Direct and short supply chain marketing for growers

Written by Tony Little, Resilient Local Food Systems Project Coordinator

It’s an exciting time for local food – The market, which had already been growing steadily for, received a massive boost during the COVID 19 pandemic. Most local food businesses are currently seeing substantially higher demand compared to the end of 2019, and the general feeling is that there is headroom for more businesses to enter the market

Our Building Resilient and Local Food Systems project, funded by the Friends Provident Foundation has an important job to do here. Part of that job is helping start ups and businesses wishing to switch to short supply chains understand exactly what the options are, and where the opportunities and challenges lie. To that end we are running a series of regional webinars for growers across the country (four to date). We are looking at the pros and cons of the main routes to market for direct sales, local wholesaling, food hubs, catering and hospitality and public procurement.

Much of the interest is around direct sales and box schemes, CSAs and farmers’ markets in particular. Food hubs are one to watch, combining the advantages of traditional wholesaling with an increased share of the retail price. The model is still developing, but many people expect them to a significant piece in the local food puzzle in the coming years

Alongside the webinars (see links to recordings below if you missed them), we will be organising farm visits which will focus on the impact of your market on your growing system and take a close look at the infrastructure and facilities you will need to have in place to service a range of different markets.

In the meantime, there are plenty of resources to help inform you marketing decisions….

Webinar recordings: Direct and short supply marketing options for growers (also available on our webinar page):

• East England / East Midlands with Helen Holmes, Waterland Organics
• South East England, with Tolly, Tolhurst Organic Partnership
• South West England with Kate Collyns, Grown Green@ Harley Farm

Landworkers’ Alliance guides and case studies

• 1. Canllaw Cynghrair Gweithwyr y Tir i werthiant uniongyrchol a chadwyni cyflenwi byr a’u rheolaeth
• Astudiaethau achos yn ymwneud â sefydlu a gweithredu modelau gwerthiant uniongyrchol
• Canllaw codi arian Cynghrair Gweithwyr y Tir

CSA Resources

• CSA Network UK

Other useful links

• Better Food Traders – Network of sustainable & ethical food businesses
• Open Food Network – Open-source software to manage local and short supply chain food systems
• Southwest Food Hub, delivering a new dynamic approach to public sector food procurement

For more information contact Tony Little on tony.little@staging.landworkersalliance.org.uk